SAFIB Allen McKinstry Cup
Schools Association Football International Board (SAFIB) British Isles & Republic of Ireland
Under 14 Boys’ Tournament
St. Francis College to compete in SAFIB Allen McKinstry Cup
Saturday, May 18, 2024
As FAI Schools First Year Boys National Cup Champions from last season, St. Francis College, Rochestown were invited to participate in this year’s SAFIB Allen McKinstry Cup as the Republic of Ireland Schools representatives.
The three-day tournament will take place in Cardiff University from Thursday, May 23 to Saturday, May 25.
As host Nation, Wales will have two representatives competing with Ysgol Y Strade, Llanelliand Whitchurch High School, Cardiff making the short trip to the University Campus grounds. Scotland unfortunately withdrew from the competition so current holders St. Ninian’s can’t defend their title. As a result of the late withdrawal, England were awarded a second representative team to join Shenfield High School, Essex in the Welsh venue so Redden Court School, Romford accepted the offer to participate. Lurgan High School in Armagh will represent Northern Ireland while the impressive Cork outfit St. Francis College, Rochestown (AKA Roco) will make up the sixth team in this competitive grouping.
This will be St. Francis College first time competing at this level as they follow in the footsteps of Cork side Coláiste Spioraid Naoimh, Bishoptstown who made their debut in 2008.
Since its establishment in 2008, the Republic of Ireland representatives have had some notable successes winning on three occasions.
FAI Schools last hosted the tournament twelve months ago in Athlone where St. Joseph’s Patrician College, Galway lost out in the final game to winners St. Ninian’s High School by a solitary goal. While 2022 National Cup Champions Marist College, Athlone drew against the eventual winners but lost the other two fixtures against St. Columb’s College, Derry and South Hunsley School, England.
2016 saw St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny go all the way and claim glory with Douglas Community School coming runners up that season in the AUL Complex, Dublin.
Oranmore’s Calasanctius College were crowned Champions having captured top spot in Belfast in 2015. Those included in the squad that day were Adam Rooney, Aaron Connolly and Ronan Manning.
Before that, when FAI Schools hosted on home soil in 2012, it was the turn of Ulster crew St. Eunan’s College, Letterkenny taking the title as the AUL Complex, Clonshaugh facilitated the tournament. St. Joseph’s Patrician College, Galway coming a gallant fifth that year. Stars like John Kennedy and Conor Melody lined out that weekend for ‘the Bish’ and it was ironical that the duo was back in the management setup when the School qualified in 2018.
St. Brendan’s College, Killarney have qualified twice for this tournament and were runners up in 2014 and managed a fourth-place finish in 2017.
This season, the Cork scholars will relish the level of competition they’ll be exposed to next week.
St. Francis College defeated Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana in last year’s dramatic Cup decider and it took extra-time to decide the winner. Jack PUNCH was the hero for the Cork school as he converted a wonderful hat-trick with his third and decisive goal coming three minutes from time, resulting in a 3-2 scoreline.
There’s plenty of football pedigree involved with Stephen Bermingham’s side and he isn’t giving too much away as he prepares for next week’s trip. He will be looking to get points on the board early as they take to the field first.
The first round of games on Thursday afternoon will see St. Francis College, Rochestown face off against Whitchurch High School at 1.30pm while Ysgol Y Strade kick off their campaign against Redden Court School at 3pm and Shenfield High School will take on Lurgan Junior High School at the later time of 4.30pm. All games will be hosted in Cardiff University.
Friday afternoon’s outings will see Ysgol Y Strade scholars play English students Shenfield HS at 1.30am while Redden Court School entertain St. Francis College at 3pm. The final game of the evening will see Whitchurch pipped against Lurgan.
A notable inclusion in the Ysgol Y Strade team will be Lily EVANS as she competes with the other 95 male players in the competition. It’s unusual to see this but with the girl’s game increasing in popularity and the standard of football improving rapidly, it’s not surprising. I’m sure Lily will enjoy the experience of playing against other high quality opposition like her counterparts next week.
Following the first two rounds of fixtures, the league table will be compiled and on Saturday morning the teams in first and second will play off in the final. The remaining four teams will be allocated to play a team which they have not previously played. Points are awarded as follows; three points for a win, two for winning a tied game after a penalty shoot-out. One point for drawing a game and losing the penalty shoot-out if normal time serves up a drawn game. No points are awarded for a loss in normal time.
#AllenMcKinstryCup
List of participating schools
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND | St. Francis College, Rochestown, Cork
NORTHERN IRELAND | Lurgan Junior High School, Armagh
WALES | Ysgol Y Strade, Llanelli
WALES | Whitchurch High School, Cardiff
ENGLAND | Shenfield High School, Essex
ENGLAND | Redden Court School, Romford
Squad lists
YSGOL Y STRADE | Ryan Lanfear, Llyr Morris, Ian Thomas, Kian Jones, Rhydian McDowall, Llion Williams, Iago Evans, Toby Perrott, Harrie Lewis, Bobby Lewis, Osian Bartlett, Tomos Davis, Jack Griffiths, Tom Morgan, Osian Tierney, Lily Evans
MANAGEMENT STAFF | Josh Williams, Mathew Gower, Deiniol Evans
WHITCHURCH HIGH SCHOOL | George Hobson, Osian Emmerson, Archie Stevens, Joshua Summerhayes, Isaac Tanner, Theo Galea, Noill Siwela, Joe McCarthy, Stefan Williams, Luca Malloy, Finley Collins, Isaac Crandon, Charlie Barford, Lewis Huntley, George Welsh, Oliver Slawik
MANAGEMENT STAFF | Alex Evans, James Burnett
LURGAN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | Patryk Jedrol, Daniel Wade, Bailey Magee, Taylor Hamilton, Alfie Givan, Luke Logan, Andrew Dowdeswell, Tyler Black, Austen Gault, Sam Green, Michael Emerson, Will Cunningham, Jacob Neill, Jayden Harker, Carter Lyttle, Seth Martin
MANAGEMENT STAFF | John Guy, Joshua Black, Stephen Heasley, Billy Keegan
ST. FRANCIC COLLEGE, ROCHESTONW | Alex McEvoy, Colm Tynan, Ethan O’Leary, Darragh O’Flaherty, Jack McMahon, Adam Kirwan, Rhys Looney, John Dollard Young, Jack Punch, Conor Stack, Darragh Lynch, Calum Hanna, Ollie O’Neill, Cillian Ross, Patick Murphy, Cillian Farrell
MANAGEMENT STAFF | Stephen Bermingham, Mark Dolan, Josh Barry, Cian Barry
SHENFIELD HIGH SCHOOL | Chris Larkin, Ronnie Sanders, Tyler Clarke, Joey Newbould, William Turner Smith, Emmanuel Fejokwu, George Conelly, Noah Clements, Louis Keene, Silva Tyler Earnshaw, Daniell Oundele, Daniel Ologho, Zac Thomas, Louis Wilkinson, Carter Harrison, Bryce Holland
MANAGEMENT STAFF | Matthew Hall, Paul Preston
REDDEN COURT SHCOOL | Louie King, Lennie Nicholson, Alfie Filletti, Donatas Jausicas, Dini Rooney, Liam Battrim, Neo Lieu Smith, Leo Leborgne, Mason Demuth, Jacob Tomlinson, Oliver Dicket, Teddie Humphries, Owen Hutchinson, Kris Warren, Luciana Gabriel, Finley Cross
MANAGEMENT STAFF | Jack Keeley, Ashley Parmenter, Tom Hughes
Fixtures
Venue | Cardiff University
SAFIB Allen McKinstry Cup
Thursday, May 23
1.30pm Whitchurch vs St. Francis College
3.00pm Y Strade vs Redden Court
4.30pm Shenfield vs Lurgan
SAFIB Allen McKinstry Cup
Friday, May 24
1.30pm Y Strade vs Shenfield
3.00pm Redden Court vs St. Francis College
4.30pm Whitchurch vs Lurgan
SAFIB Allen McKinstry Cup
Saturday, May 25
10.00am Play-Off Game 1
10.00am Play-Off Game 2
11.30am Final
Allen McKinstry Cup Roll of Honour
|
YEAR |
WINNER |
|
2023 |
St. Ninian's High School, Glasgow |
|
2022 |
N/A COVID-19 |
|
2021 |
N/A COVID-19 |
|
2020 |
N/A COVID-19 |
|
2019 |
St. Columb's College, Derry |
|
2018 |
St. Thomas More School, England |
|
2017 |
St. Ninian's High School, Glasgow |
|
2016 |
St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny |
|
2015 |
Calasanctius College, Oranmore, Galway |
|
2014 |
Ysgol Cyfun Gymraeg, Plasmawr, Cymru |
|
2013 |
Bannerman High School, Scotland |
|
2012 |
St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny, Donegal |
|
2011 |
St. Columb's College, Derry |
|
2010 |
St. Ambrose High School, Scotland |
|
2009 |
Forest School, Wokingham, England |
|
2008 |
Dumfries Academy, Scotland |
Republic of Ireland Representatives
|
YEAR |
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND REPRESENTATIVES |
|
2023 |
St. Joseph's Patrician College, Galway & Marist College, Athlone, Westmeath |
|
2022 |
N/A COVID-19 |
|
2021 |
N/A COVID-19 |
|
2020 |
N/A COVID-19 |
|
2019 |
Patrician High School, Carrickmacross |
|
2018 |
St. Joseph's Patrician College, Galway |
|
2017 |
St. Brendan's College, Killarney, Kerry |
|
2016 |
St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny, Douglas Community School, Cork, Dublin Oak Academy, Bray |
|
2015 |
Calasanctius College, Oranmore, Galway |
|
2014 |
St. Brendan's College, Killarney, Kerry |
|
2013 |
Gorey Community School, Wexford |
|
2012 |
St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny, Donegal & St. Joseph's Patrician College, Galway |
|
2011 |
St. Joseph's SS, Rochfortbridge, Westmeath |
|
2010 |
Limerick CBS, Sexton Street |
|
2009 |
De La Salle College, Waterford |
|
2008 |
Coláiste Spioraid Naoimh, Bishoptstown, Cork |